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Paul Morley

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Everything posted by Paul Morley

  1. The venue is Salford RC Cathedral, if that helps.
  2. First four notes of Piece Heroiqe = first four notes The Terminator theme.
  3. CONTROVERSY ALERT!! An R&C pedalboard is designed so that heels may be used easily. The unintended consequence is that clean playing with toes only is made more difficult than is the case on boards of other configurations. It could be argued that to play 18C music with all heels on an R&C board is rather like making elaborate registration changes in a romantic piece on an instrument with a 18C style console. The player is setting themselves an unnecessarily difficult task, the successful fulfilling of which is by no means guaranteed to yield musical results.
  4. What a contrast between this behaviour and the grace that that you have shown.
  5. With regards to Tony's comments on this thread, I consider them to be sensitive and well-considered. Clearly, some contributors disagree strongly with his views, but I would respectfully suggest that those who have expressed their disagreement in a similarly thoughtful and sensitive manner have contributed more to this discussion than those who have rushed to take offence - not least because offence-taking kills any hope of robust but respectful debate.
  6. I note that Bill Bailey is an honorary member.
  7. I've just spent a not inconsiderable sum replacing my choir's copies of Goreki's 'Totus Tuus'. The version that they possessed was a purchased, entirely legitimate but very poor quality photocopy of what I assume to be the manuscript.
  8. Paul, I also use Peeters. for what reason(s) has it fallen out of favour? P
  9. I'd read this also. However, could this have been a consequence of the situation regarding the ownership of/responsibility for the upkeep of organs in French Catholic churches, rather than a comment on Jean Guillou's tonal ideals? Of course, he is known for holding unorthodox views on this subject. One can imagine that there might be something of a conflict between the needs of the liturgy/standard repertoire and the needs of an avant-garde composer when (re)designing an organ.
  10. Does anyone know details of the intervention that the Ducroquet organ suffered during 'the disastrous rebuild' of the late '70s?
  11. One assumes then, that the boxing bit is apocryphal. Mind you, given that the Knights Templar were somewhat on the miltant side...
  12. The other Best anecdote/urban myth that I've come across goes like this: WTB was attending a sporting event (boxing possibly) at St George's Hall. A Corporation official spotted him and asked him to play during the interval, 'as the public like to hear the organ'. WTB went to the console, drew a couple of stops, broke a pencil into three and placed the pieces on the keys so as to play a major triad. Clearly, such a course of action would only be possible if the organ was fitted with an electric blower. I suppose that it's possible the incident occurred some years later, and another organist was involved (Cunningham at AP, perhaps).
  13. Controversy Alert I would suggest that a pretty brisk tempo is required for the Final. The piece is of far slighter musical stature than the rest of the Franck masterworks, and can very easily outstay its welcome.
  14. Not many of those who earn any part their living as classical musicians will have been doing this.
  15. Is there any evidence that the device was used make the HW a coupling manual for the other divisions?
  16. Interesting editing. For a moment at 2’10", I thought that the performer had cut to the final section of the Franck A minor…
  17. And a lucky passover to you too, Peter - and to everyone else, of course.
  18. I'm sure that the nave console was removed by H&H at the same time that the chancel console was moved. I don't think that it was left disconnected for very long, if at all.
  19. Is there any evidence that the claviorganum was ever used as a continuo instrument? I understood that the practice of having recitatives and arias accompanied by the harpsichord and choruses by the organ has been identified as an unhistorical neobaroquism, and consequently abandoned by most early music specialists - as it would have been impossible to keep the harpsichord in tune with the organ throughout a 2-3 hour performance.
  20. Doesn't one of the characters in DH Lawrence's 'The Rainbow' and/or 'Women in Love' play the organ?
  21. ..well, there are a good few contenders for that particular accolade.
  22. Bear in mind that, in this case, the neo-baroquery is part of the organ's original tonal concept.
  23. A brilliant idea in principle – but where would a new organ go in that building? The excellent modern west windows rule the possibility of (re?)erecting a west gallery. One workable (if distinctly non-PC) solution would be to return the H&H console to its pre '79 position in the south quire. The screen could then be supplied with a west-facing organ along the lines of the fine instrument in Birmingham RC Cathedral (although without a ruckpositiv/pos a dos, so as not to spoil the screen itself). It would be possible (and quite useful, if a little vulgar) to enable some of the chancel organ (Open Woods, Ophicleides etc.) to be played from the screen. One could even have a monster Passau-style console in the nave to control both organs.
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